CHARNWOOD Borough Council has made an apology over the controversy caused by banning a market trader because she was selling Knights Templar coffee mugs.

A spokesperson from the council said that they “got this one wrong.”

Market stall holder, Tina Gayle, who had previously appeared in the Echo defending her right to sell WWII books and memorabilia sporting swastikas and photos of Adolf Hitler, was banned from having a stand in the town centre after selling the “offensive” mugs.

The Echo reported in August that the borough council had intended to write to Tina Gayle, who has been selling predominately vintage books and history books at Loughborough market for almost three years, following “several complaints” about Second World War items “which could be deemed offensive to some”.

At the time, Ms Gayle told the Echo the items aid many of her customers who take part in WWII re-enactments and help them accurately portray characters.

At the time Ms Gayle told the Echo: “The council gave me a letter at 4pm and said I’m banned.

“The complainant said they were offensive because the Knights Templar killed Muslims in the crusades 710 years ago.

“The Knights Templar were fighting monks, used to protect businessmen travelling across the Holy Lands.

The Echo's story over the ban has been national news this week.

But now, today (October 13) Charnwood Borough Council has released a statement saying: “Regarding the media articles about the trader being banned from the vintage market in Loughborough, we would like to clarify our position.

“Firstly, we would like to apologise. We are open and honest enough to say we got this one wrong. We did receive a complaint because someone was offended by the mugs, but we do not find the mugs offensive.

“Our main issue was that it is a vintage market and these items were new when we only want vintage or used items on sale.

“We communicated that poorly to the trader and we will be reviewing how this happened to learn lessons for the future. We will also be speaking to the trader involved.

“We apologise for any upset caused and we acted in what we thought was the best interests of Loughborough’s markets.”